Citalopram withdrawal after three weeks?

[markdbruce]

My beautiful girlfriend took her own life almost four months ago.
She was prescribed 10mg of Citalopram which was taken in the morning i believe, i didn't know she was on anti depressants at the time.
The week before she died, she stopped taking them completely, I've searched for answers but haven't found any yet.
Would the sudden stopping of the medication be the cause of her suicide?
I mean by way of side effects, I've read that sudden withdrawal from SSRI's can give you terrible side effects of feeling suicidal.
Would these side effects give you the motivation and reduce inhibitions to carry out a suicide, or would one have to be having suicidal thoughts prior to taking SSRI's to take their own life?

[SADnomore]

Please accept my condolences on your tragic loss. You may never know why she stopped taking her medication, but the answer to all your other questions is, yes. Most vulnerable times are when starting up, when changing doses, and when withdrawing from the SSRIs. Also it can be the result of an unthinking act, just simply a thing done, as a result of what the brain is experiencing. These drugs are serious stuff.
I'm so sorry,
Marie

[weplant]

Please accept my condolences on your tragic loss. You may never know why she stopped taking her medication, but the answer to all your other questions is, yes. Most vulnerable times are when starting up, when changing doses, and when withdrawing from the SSRIs. Also it can be the result of an unthinking act, just simply a thing done, as a result of what the brain is experiencing. These drugs are serious stuff.
I'm so sorry,
Marie
I feel so bad for that gentlemen that lost his girlfriend..However, after reading your reply my anxiety just went through the roof..I am on cit for severe panic/anxiety and have a real fear of death..Now I am worried that the med I am taking to help calm me down can cause me to do something that is beyond my control??!!

[Kim51]

I feel so bad for that gentlemen that lost his girlfriend..However, after reading your reply my anxiety just went through the roof..I am on cit for severe panic/anxiety and have a real fear of death..Now I am worried that the med I am taking to help calm me down can cause me to do something that is beyond my control??!!

I have been on cit on and off for over twenty years and have never experienced anything like this while starting, taking and withdrawing we are all different weplant so please don't worry unduly, I totally feel for the gentle mans loss but we don't know why she turned to cit in the first place. Take care :)

[markdbruce]

Rose was prescribed Citalopram after her father decided to take her to A&E due to severe stress and anxiety brought on by her university course, she was on her second year of her nursing degree.
Rose was seen by two mental health doctors and was prescribed the above as well as Lorazepam for anxiety.
She told me the Citalopram was 'calming' tablets as she didn't want me to know she was taking anti depressants in fear of losing me, simply wasn't the case on my half, i'd of supported her through anything.

[bimmer18]

I am so so sorry. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
I've also been on and off citalopram for almost ten years. Personally I never had the side effect of wanting to follow through with hurting myself or ending my life. Those thoughts crossed my mind because of the anxiety and depression i experienced, just wanting to feel like myself again, but I genuinely believe your girlfriend must've had those thoughts to begin with. Of course you will never know for sure, and I pray you find peace.

[SADnomore]

I feel so bad for that gentlemen that lost his girlfriend..However, after reading your reply my anxiety just went through the roof..I am on cit for severe panic/anxiety and have a real fear of death..Now I am worried that the med I am taking to help calm me down can cause me to do something that is beyond my control??!!

Sorry weplant. I didn't mean to suggest that we are all subject to a sudden impulse without thinking that will end badly. The general warning is that IF we feel or our caregivers/family members feel that we are having worrisome thoughts of that nature, we are to seek help immediately. Forewarned, we are forearmed that we need to be vigilant, especially when starting a new med, when changing dose, and when withdrawing. To clarify what I meant: In young people, there is a greater risk, which is these days spelled out in the materials that come with the prescriptions and online. Without getting into detail, I know from experience that in this last population, there may not be any warning at all, not even to the young person him/herself. The heightened risk in the age group of 25 and under is now noted.

If you are in this age group and especially if you are starting up/changing dose or withdrawing from a psychoactive drug then, yes, you do bear watching more closely. You must try to be honest and communicative with your family at all times, and probably shouldn't be left alone. I have seen nothing specific stating why it is that there is added vulnerability in these patients, but it is clearly noted.

Did the young lady have clearly formed thoughts beforehand, and the knowledge that it was time to seek help? Maybe not, really. That's all I was trying to say.

I didn't mean at all to suggest that we are all subject to some kind of sudden impulse over which we have little or no control. Not true. It was this age group that I was thinking of when I said what I did about an "unthinking act" (my experience), and I should have made that connection clear in the first place. Please don't worry unnecessarily, weplant. I didn't mean to frighten you or anyone else of us on medications, and I apologize. I am sure that if your doctor felt you were at risk of death when prescribing your meds he most assuredly would have told you. :hugs:

Marie xx

[weplant]

Sorry weplant. I didn't mean to suggest that we are all subject to a sudden impulse without thinking that will end badly. The general warning is that IF we feel or our caregivers/family members feel that we are having worrisome thoughts of that nature, we are to seek help immediately. Forewarned, we are forearmed that we need to be vigilant, especially when starting a new med, when changing dose, and when withdrawing. To clarify what I meant: In young people, there is a greater risk, which is these days spelled out in the materials that come with the prescriptions and online. Without getting into detail, I know from experience that in this last population, there may not be any warning at all, not even to the young person him/herself. The heightened risk in the age group of 25 and under is now noted.

If you are in this age group and especially if you are starting up/changing dose or withdrawing from a psychoactive drug then, yes, you do bear watching more closely. You must try to be honest and communicative with your family at all times, and probably shouldn't be left alone. I have seen nothing specific stating why it is that there is added vulnerability in these patients, but it is clearly noted.

Did the young lady have clearly formed thoughts beforehand, and the knowledge that it was time to seek help? Maybe not, really. That's all I was trying to say.

I didn't mean at all to suggest that we are all subject to some kind of sudden impulse over which we have little or no control. Not true. It was this age group that I was thinking of when I said what I did about an "unthinking act" (my experience), and I should have made that connection clear in the first place. Please don't worry unnecessarily, weplant. I didn't mean to frighten you or anyone else of us on medications, and I apologize. I am sure that if your doctor felt you were at risk of death when prescribing your meds he most assuredly would have told you. :hugs:

Marie xx
Thank you so much Marie..I am just ultra sensitive. I am definitely not in that age group, way over:yesyes:..Thank you for taking the time to clarify:D